The Monster Within
by InzanityFirez
Summary: Karakura has been fairly peaceful with Aizen defeated and all lives restored. But a new threat, the Kalib Knights, a group of soul-carrying Hollows with their own agenda have emerged and it's up to Ichigo&Co as well as a certain Hichigo to save the day.


Chocolate brown eyes stared dully at the sky above them. The sky was a mottled grey as rain trickled faintly down his bedroom window. Even the earth was crying today, kind of like how he felt on the inside, but showing on the world around him outside. Which was alright by him because he didn't like showing his sorrow, he didn't like burdening people. But, today wasn't an ordinary day.

Today was the anniversary of the day Ichigo Kurosaki's mother had been murdered by a Hollow.

Ichigo had already visited her grave and just gotten back, which was why rain droplets dripped every so often onto his shirt, staining the white with temporary spots of liquid sorrow. His mother had been beautiful, and kind. And in the absence of her, Ichigo had lost himself amidst his angers and sorrows and distanced himself. Not that he had minded, he couldn't take most people anyway. They wanted things he couldn't give, and they didn't truly care.

"Ichiiiiiigo!" came a whiny voice from behind him and Ichigo's jaw clenched slightly as a stuffed animal lion hopped onto the bed beside him. "Quit moping! You're so gloomy! Can't we go find Rukia? C'mon, pleeeaseee." the animal needled, bouncing up and down on Ichigo's lap before whacking his head.

Ichigo's jaw clenched further as he snatched the toy up and hurled it against the closest wall. "Go find her yourself, Kon." he growled, before turning his gaze back towards the window.

Kon, a modified soul who would have been destroyed if not for Ichigo and Rukia's intervention, yelped and clattered to the ground before lifting and brushing himself off while huffing. "Jerk." he muttered. He crossed his little arms and glared at Ichigo from behind the orange-haired young man, but in truth, he wasn't angry.

He was worried.

No one cared about modified souls. They were disposable, and then declared dead meat just because some Shinigamis decided they were worthless. But Ichigo had saved him, and introduced him to friends, and to family, and to a home. Kon never said it aloud, but he was grateful. More than grateful, he was…happy. Kon had a family, and a life, and even if he was stuck in a damned stuffed animal's body, it meant everything to him to have what he had. And while he and Ichigo fought more than anybody, Ichigo meant the most to him because it was Ichigo who'd taken care of him, and listened, and understood better than anybody…

Ichigo knew what it felt like to be an outsider.

So Kon hopped back up on the bed with his arms crossed and his sewn-on expression arranged in a scowl. "You can't get rid of me that easily, strawberry head! We need to see, Rukia! We need to see, Rukia! We need to see-" Kon's tirade was cut off as Ichigo grabbed Kon and rose from his bed, heading for the door, intending to chuck him out. "I'm going to-"

Ichigo's words were cut off as he jerked aside, and Kon stiffened. His eyes widened and he froze as he made a choked sort of noise and the room seemed to shift for a split second. "That…that spiritual pressure.." It had been immense, crushing even, and Kon was trembling slightly.

"I-I-Ichigo!" the stuffed animal stammered, and Ichigo turned to his now open bedroom window.

A man was crouched on the ledge and watched Ichigo with an amused expression. The man's hair was black with olive grey high lights. His eyes were a mottled blue with streaks of pale yellow. The man wore an olive grey cloak that matched his highlights, and he grinned, revealing fairly pointed teeth all around.

Ichigo stiffened and tossed Kon aside, the latter rolling into the corner with a grunt of surprised protest. Ichigo stood and faced the intruder squarely, eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" he asked, his tone casual but unmistakably a warning.

The man at the window tilted his head and widened his grin to an unnatural size. "What do I _want_?" the man repeated, his voice higher than a man's ought to have been with a squawking edge. "I want to sink my teeth into your lovely, beating heart…" he cackled. "But all good things in time.." the man licked his lips, revealing a long, slithery tongue.

"For now, I'm here to deliver a message.." The man stared at Ichigo, before shrugging. "My liege bids you greetings and that he hopes to meet with you soon…just as soon as he's..gotten settled in. Karakura is a lovely town, and my master is looking forward to sharing it with you.." The man cackled again, and as Ichigo's brow furrowed in slight confusion and he prepared to speak, the man 'disappeared' from the window. Or rather, moved away so swiftly he seemed to have disappeared.

Ichigo stared out his open window with an expression between anger and confusion, his eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed as he watched the trees rustle in the windy, rainy bluster.

Kon stepped out from his hiding place slowly, staring up at the window before jumping up to the bed and slamming it closed as he looked to Ichigo. "What was that all about?"

Ichigo didn't glance his way, merely kept his gaze fixed on the window ahead of him before he muttered. "Trouble."


End file.
